Watermelon, melon yields estimated at 121,000MT in Baghlan

PUL-I-KHUMARI (Pajhwok): The Agriculture Department of northern Baghlan province has estimated this year’s melon and watermelon harvests in the province at 121,000 metric tons that shows a10 percent increase over last year’s yield.

However, farmers say this year’s melon yield was less than last year’s, but its prices are good.

Mohammad Rasool Khan, a farmer in Dand Ghori area of Pul-i-Khumri, told Pajhwok Afghan News he cultivated melons on his three acres of land, but the harvest was less than last year’s.

He added this year a melon was sold for 65 to 70 afghanis in farmland against its last year’s price of 45 to 50 afs.

Meanwhile, Tajuddin, another farmer, told Pajhwok that this year's harvest of melons and watermelons was less than last year, but the market was good.

He linked the decreased yield to the scarcity of irrigation water this year.

He said: “We use solar power to irrigate farmlands, but this year when the crops needed water, clouds would hide the sun, so we were unable to irrigate the crops and this led to a decreased yield.”

A number of other farmers made similar statements and asked for cooperation of government officials in solving their problems.

Meanwhile, Abdul Sattar, a trader of melons and watermelons, told Pajhwok that the prices of melons and watermelons in Baghlan were good this year.

He said: "This year a melon’s price hovered between 50 and 100 afs and watermelon 90 and 100 afs, which is a high and reasonable price and the reason is that the harvest of other fruits was not much in Baghlan this year.”

Wali Amarkhel, an official of the agriculture department, said that melons and watermelons were cultivated on 5,292 hectares of land in Baghlan last year, which produced 110,544 metric tons.

He said melons and watermelons were planted on about 5,822 hectares of land this year, and the yield was estimated to be 121,000 and 608 metric tons, which shows a 10 percent increase compared to last year.

He said this year’s harvests would be high and the market was also good.

Melon is cultivated in Doshi, Dahna-i-Ghori, Baghlani Markazi districts and  Pul Khumri, the provincial capital.

Kk/ma